At last, the Traveler arrived at the royal port of the Ilusia Kingdom.
It was a winding harbor, its twisting coastline resembling a sleeping dragon, or the flowing ribbon in a champion athlete's hand. Nearby stretched a golden beach, where sunlight scattered across the sea like fragments of silver. Colorful seashells dotted the shore like pearls.
Masts stood densely packed in the harbor, ships lined up one after another. Farther inland, white city walls and towering spires rose into view.
A prosperous port.
A royal city steeped in rich Gothic architectural style.
However, standing on the deck of the Traveler, Arashi had no mood to admire the scenery.
Because just as the ship docked, the system's notification echoed in his mind.
[System Notification]
Congratulations to the host for arriving at a new travel destination: Ilusia Kingdom Royal Capital—Constantine City. Reward: 2,000 Travel Points.
[System Reward Obtained]
2,000 Travel Points have been credited to your account. Detected: Constantine City is currently hosting its annual Ultra-Long Marathon. New mission activated!
[System Notification]
Mission: Participate in the Ultra-Long Marathon in Constantine City. Upon winning first place, the host will receive a reward of 5,000,000 Beli from the organizers, as well as 3,000 Travel Points from the system.
"An ultra-long marathon?"
Arashi blinked in surprise. In his memory, a standard marathon was around forty to fifty kilometers.
So just how "ultra-long" was this one?
Now that was something to look forward to.
And such a simple task—just winning a race—would grant 3,000 Travel Points?
That felt a little suspicious.
Or maybe… this marathon wasn't as simple as it sounded?
Well, whatever.
It was all part of the journey.
Even if he didn't win, he could treat it as a way to experience the local culture of the Ilusia Kingdom.
With that thought, Arashi accepted the mission and turned to Robin behind him.
"Let's go, 9527!"
Robin blinked, confused. "9527?"
"That's your number for this month! I can't exactly go around shouting 'Hey Robin, bring me my socks!' or 'Robin, where are my beach shorts?' in public, right? So, for your safety, from now on, when I call '9527,' you respond immediately with 'Yes!'"
"Alright, alright."
To Arashi's surprise, Robin didn't get angry at all—instead, she found it amusing.
Maybe this traveler wasn't as much of a pervert as she thought.
"First, we'll get you a few maid outfits."
Arashi jumped off the deck. Once Robin followed him down, he continued, "After that, we'll find a hotel to rest. Drifting at sea these past couple of days has practically shaken my bones loose. If it weren't for Robin's massages, I probably wouldn't even be able to stand straight!"
Watching Arashi walk ahead, talking nonstop, Robin couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.
There was no way he couldn't stand straight—
He just wanted her to keep massaging him.
—
Inside Constantine City—
The annual nationwide event, the "Ultra-Long Marathon," was in full swing.
This was an event initiated ten years ago by the king of the Ilusia Kingdom. It had no particular purpose—
The king simply wanted to see if anyone would run themselves to death.
And with a total distance of four hundred kilometers, the marathon fulfilled his expectations every year, with several unfortunate participants collapsing along the way.
Yet, for the massive reward of five million Beli, countless brave souls still stepped forward to challenge it every year.
Of course, when the king first established the event, he implemented a rule to prevent Devil Fruit users from participating.
The finish line was set on a cruise ship anchored at sea.
Every participant had to swim to the ship to officially complete the race. Any Devil Fruit user attempting to cheat would fail at this stage—
Because seawater was their greatest weakness.
That said, most Devil Fruit users wouldn't bother participating for a mere five million Beli anyway.
It simply wasn't worth the effort.
However, this year's competition was different.
In addition to the five million Beli prize, the winner would be invited to dine with the king and queen—and be awarded a knight's title!
"So if you win, you become a knight of this kingdom?"
Walking out of the marathon registration office, Arashi's interest was piqued.
"Dining with the royal family… that's definitely a worthwhile experience during a journey."
"Alright then—I'll go win a championship for fun. Might as well enjoy a bit of royal hospitality along the way!"
"Mr. Arashi… you're really going to participate?"
Robin, now dressed in a maid outfit, hurried over. Though still a bit unaccustomed to it, she carried herself well enough to satisfy Arashi.
"The rules clearly state that Devil Fruit users aren't allowed to participate!"
"I'm not a Devil Fruit user."
"Wait."
Just as he finished speaking, Arashi suddenly turned serious, his gaze dropping toward Robin's neckline.
"This maid outfit isn't suitable for wearing outside. It's too revealing. Go back to the hotel and change immediately!"
"…???"
Robin was momentarily stunned by his sudden seriousness.
But after a second, she realized—
The neckline was a bit low.
Still, seeing Arashi's overly serious expression, she couldn't help but feel puzzled.
What is this ridiculously strong possessiveness…?
It's just a slightly lower neckline, isn't it?!
Honestly…!
Even though she didn't fully understand his sudden attitude, Robin didn't argue. She quickly followed Arashi back to the hotel.
—
After changing into a more conservative maid outfit, Robin knocked on Arashi's door.
"That's better."
Opening the door and seeing her, Arashi nodded in satisfaction.
"Those low-cut outfits and short skirts—don't wear them outside anymore. Got it?"
"Yes, yes, I understand."
Robin narrowed her eyes, barely holding back her laughter as she nodded repeatedly.
Right now, Arashi looked like a jealous young man in her eyes—
Acting all domineering and fierce… but actually kind of cute.
But the moment that thought crossed her mind, Robin froze.
Wait…
Wasn't this guy supposed to be a pervert?
Why… am I starting to think he's cute?
This time—
Robin was genuinely flustered.
Extra chapters are already prepared… waiting to be unleashed.
Get early access on Patreon:
patreon.com/c/DreamWriterStudios
Want more chapters? You decide the pace:
✨ 10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
🔥 200 Power Stones = Another Release
Your support fuels the journey.
The stronger your backing… the faster the story unfolds.